Come and See!

Friday, September 26, 2014

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (9/28/14) ~ Baptism Sunday evening

This Sunday at 4:00 PM we will gather on Curt and Jennifer Kneese's river bank to celebrate the sacrament of baptism for 1 adult, Joey Freeman, and 3 youth, Grayson Bannowsky, Chet and Chainey Weitz. Please come join us.  We will have a reception following if you would like to please bring some cookies to share.

Scripture
Exodus 14:10-14 (ESV)  
When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. [11] They said to Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? [12] Is not this what we said to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." [13] And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. [14] The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." 

Exodus 14:21-31 (ESV)  
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.  [22] And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. [23] The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. [24] And in the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, [25] clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, "Let us flee from before Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians." 
[26] Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen." [27] So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the Lord threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. [28] The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained. [29] But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 
[30] Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. [31] Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses. 

Questions for Reflection
1. What did the Israelites cry to Moses when the Egyptians came after them? (14:10-12)
2. How did Moses respond when the Egyptians were bearing down on the Israelites? (14:13-14)
3. What miraculous events took place at the Red Sea? (14:21-31)
4. How do you think Moses felt when God gave him specific directions?
5. How is it hard to follow God when we know He wants to direct us to safety?
6. How do you imagine God felt when the Israelites cried to return to Egypt?
7. How is listening to God tied to our safety and protection?
8. What might the Israelites have felt about their bad attitudes after God rescued them?
9. How can bad attitudes and not listening to God get us in trouble?
10. What do we have to do to be obedient to God even when we don’t feel like it?
11. How has God performed amazing “Red Sea” miracles in your life?